thomas



(No Model.) Sheets-Sheet 1.1

R. B. THOMAS.- CLEANING METAL "PLATES'OE SHEETS. No. 898,094. PatentedFeb. 19, 1889..l F/G../.

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheen R. B. THOMAS. CLEANING METAL PLATES -Oli.ASHEETS. No. 398,094. Patented Feb."19, `1889.

N. Finns Phwmwgnphgr. wnhangm, :1.ov

UNITED y STATES PATENT OErrcE.

RICHARD BEAUMONT THOMAS, OF LYDBROOK, COUNTY OF GLOUCESTER,

ENGLAND.

CLEANING NIETL PLATES OR SHEETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent .NO. 398,094, datedFebruary 19, 1889. Application filed November 22, 1887. Serial No.255,896. i (No model.) Patented in England December 8, 1886, No. 16,065.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, RICHARD BEAUMONT THOMAS, a subject of the Queen ofGreat Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Lydbrook, in the county ofGloucester, England, have invented certain Improvements in CleaningMetal Plates or Sheets, (for which British Patent No. 16,065, datedDecember S, 1886, has been obtained,) of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my invention is to provide means and appliances forcleaning metal plates or sheetssuch, for example, as tin or terneplates-whereby these plates or sheets shall be cleaned with ease andfacility. To carry out this object I form carriers for these plates orsheets, which carriers, being mounted on an endless band, cause theplates or sheets to pass through the cleaning material in anupwardly-curved direction as many times as may be necessary withalternate surfaces uppermost.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical longitudinalsection of my cleaning apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3is a plan of the carrier. Fig. 4 is a plan of the lower part of thecarrier. Fig. 5 is a side elevation, and Fig. 6 is a rear elevation, ofthe carrier. i

In or on any suitable framing, A, I mount a series of rollers, as ishereinafter described, and round these rollers on each side of theapparatus is the endless band B, preferably formed of and by a suitablechain, that shown in the drawings being very convenient. On these bandsB, at suitable intervals, are secured the carriers for the plates orsheets, constructed as follows: Transverse stretchers C are connected tothetwo bands B at the proper intervals, two such stretchers beingrequired for each carrier, and on the one stretcherl C are erected twoor more standards, D, which in side view are always at right angles, orthereabout, to the bands B, and at or near the tops of these standards Dare horizontally pivoted two or more fingers, E, in such wise that theycan be folded or can fall down parallel in plan view with the band B,and can be erected into a position at right angles, or thereabout, inside view, for which purpose these fingers E are counterbalanced by theplate Rwhereto they are all secured, which plate F has a projection, F,on one or both sides, and on the free ends of the fingers E a smallplate, E', can conveniently be secured. On this stretcher C also arerigidly secured two or more shorter fingers, G, parallel with the bandsB, and on the stretcher C', in front of the same, are similarly securedother like fingers, G', and all these fingers E and G are soproportioned that when the fingers E are folded down on the fingers Gthe ends of the lingers E or the plate E thereon about correspond withthe ends of the fingers G', on which also may be a similar' small plate,if desired. To save the plate from damage,

'all these fingers and the plates thereon, if

any, may be so formed, and, if required, be so covered and with suchmaterial as may be expedient or suitable.

The bands B are caused to travel ata somewhat slow speed, and when oneof these carriers arrives at the top of the roller II the ngersl E willeither automatically assume the nearly-vertical position shown in Fig.l, or can be caused so to do, and a plate is then placed in anearly-vertical position in this carrier, its lower edge resting on thefingers G, and as the carrier passes on, at a certain desired position,the fingers E, as shown in this Fig. l, are folded down preferably by astop engaging the projection F and the plate then lies flat on thefingers G. Then the plate in the carrier has been so laid flat, itpasses along above an upwardly-curved platform or open chamber, I,wherein are shudes or other suitable materials, and the two bands B passunder a series of rollers, J, preferably three in number, mountedparallel, or thereabout, with the curved platform I, whereby the plateis caused to enter the clean# ing material and to take anupwardly-curved course therein, whereby both surfaces, but moreespecially the upper surface, of the plate will be most efficientlycleaned, and as the plates in succession are continually passing in thisupwardly-curved course therewill be little or no danger of the cleaningmaterial falling off or being lifted off the platform I. The bands Bthen pass round and over the upper roller, J', of this series, wherebythe carrier is reversed imposition, and the IOO plate must obviously nowrest on the fingers E, which fingers E fall down, as shown in Fig. 1, onanother platform or open chamber, K, also upwardly curved, but in anopposite direction, wherein also are shudes or other suitable materials,and the two bands B pass under a series of rollers, L, also preferablythree in number, mounted parallel, or thereabout, with the curvedplatform K, and as the carrier passes on the ends of the iingers E slideon this platform K, whereby the plate, which obviously is now alsoreversed in position, and what was the lower surface is now the uppersurface, caused to enterthe cleaning material and to take anupwardly-curved course therein, whereby both surfaces, but moreespecially the now upper surface, of the plate will be most efficientlycleaned, and as the plates in succession are continually passing in thisnpwardly-curved course there will be little or no danger of the cleaningmaterial falling off or being lifted off the platform K. As the carrierapproaches the upper end of this platform K, the fingers E graduallyopen out, as shown in Fig. l, until the plate slides therefrom into asuitable receptacle or otherwise, or, as is preferable, into the dustingapparatus. The bands B then pass round and over the upper roller, L', ofthis series, which can conveniently be toothed or otherwise so formedthat the motion desired can be given to the bands B by and through thisroller L', revolved by any suitable power or gearing' or otherwise. Fromthis roller L the bands B pass round other rollers, M, back to theaforesaid roller II.

It is obvious that t-he rollers J must be so formed that the standards Dof the carriers can pass thereunder, and for the sake of lightness Ipreferably form all the rollers as shown in the drawings, wherein eachroller consists of two disks or wheels mounted loosely on a shaft nearthe sides of the apparatus, except the roller L', in which the disks orwheels must obviously be rigidly secured to their shaft to give thedesired motion to both the bands, and any one or more of the rollers orthe shafts thereof may be so fitted as to be adjustable, thereby givingthe bands the re quired tension.

I consider that the two curved platforms or open chambers hereinbeforedescribed are in general amply sufficient to clean the plates; but, whendesired, I can iit any number of similar curved platforms or openchambers, causing the plates, in manner as hereinbefore described, topass over them all in succession with alternate surfaces uppermost.

The plate may be placed in the carrier as it issues from the priortreatment while hot, in which case this apparatus and the bands thereofwould be of such a length as will al,- low the metal to set before theplate enters the cleaning material in the first platform or openchamber.

I claim as my inventionl. The herein-described apparatus for clcaningmetal plates or sheets, said apparatus comprising platforms containingcleaning matcrial, a traveling band to carry the plates, and rollerscarrying the band, one side up over one platform and the reverse side upover the next platform, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The herein-described apparatus for cleaning metal plates or sheets,said apparatus comprising curved platforms containing cleaning material,a traveling band having rigid and pivoted holding-iingers for theplates, and rollers carrying the band, one side up over one platform andthe reverse side up over the next platform, as and for the purpose setforth.

The herein-described platecarryin g band, comprising endless bands withconnecting stretchers, ringers and standards on the stretchers, andcounterbalanced fingers pivoted to the standards, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

RICHARD BEAUMONT THOMAS. lVitnesses:

J. W. HARPER, ERNEST M. SMITH.

